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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. object — to protest
  6. mug — to rob
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. object — a thing
  10. mark — a trace
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. mark — a grade
  16. snap — to click
  17. mug — a face
  18. object — an aim
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mug — a cup
  22. deal — to handle
  23. fork — in a road
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com